KKR will play Sunrisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 1 while Rajasthan Royals face Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Eliminator.
New Delhi: A convincing four-wicket over Punjab Kings and a washout between Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati on Sunday helped Sunrisers Hyderabad to finish second in the IPL 2024 points table. Champions in 2016, SRH, will not face table-toppers KKR in Qualifier 1 on May 21 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Rajasthan Royals, who are winless in their last four games, needed a win to topple SRH to second. But a washout against KKR meant, the Sanju Samson-led side finish third on 17 points and take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Eliminator on May 22. SRH (+0.414) have a better net run rate as compared to Rajasthan Royals (+0.273). Two-time champions KKR finished atop the table with 20 points from 14 games.
The winner of Qualifier 1 directly advances to the final to be played on May 26 at Chepauk. Whoever wins the Eliminator will then play the losing team of Qualifier 1 in Qualifier 2. The winner of Qualifier 2 advances to the final. Both the Qualifier 2 and the final will be played at Chepauk.
On the final day of the league stage, Punjab Kings opted to bat first at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Bolstered by Prabhsimran Singh’s quick-fire 71 and useful contributions from opener Atharva Taide (46) and Rilee Rossouw (49) helped Punjab Kings to post 214/5 on board.
Next Stop Ahmedabad! ✈️
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Kolkata Knight Riders Sunrisers Hyderabad#TATAIPL | #KKRvSRH | #Qualifier1 | @KKRiders | @SunRisers pic.twitter.com/NvGURFEmnz
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 19, 2024
Prabhsimran and Taide added 97 runs from just 55 balls. While Taide scored 46 from 27 balls with five fours and two sixes, Prabhsimran hit seven sixes and four fours for his 45-ball 71. Rossouw signed off with a 24-ball 49 with four sixes and three fours while stand-in skipper Jitesh Sharma produced late fireworks to make 32 not out.
In reply, SRH lost Travis Head on the very first bal of the chase with a peach of a delivery from Arshdeep Singh. However, SRH rode on opener Abhishek Sharma’s a 28-ball 66 (6x6s, 5x4s) to overhaul the target with five balls to spare. SRH were also bolstered by contributions from Rahul Tripathi (33), Nitish Reddy (37) and Heinrich Klaasen (42) along the way.
Meanwhile in Guwahati, persistent rain delayed the toss and eventually the game was abandoned without a ball being bowled. There was some glimmer of hope after the rain stopped post 10 PM IST. KKR won the toss and opted to field first in a 7-over per side game but it again came back to frustrate the fans and the players at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium.